Dialysis training using dialysis treatment simulation system

Abstract

A system and method is provided for training operators (e.g., users), including new nurses or nephrologists as well as patients or their family members, to learn the intricacies of dialysis (e.g., hemodialysis) treatment through a simulation. The simulation may afford users the ability to fail catastrophically in simulated dialysis treatment, see the consequences, learn and internalize complex algorithms, and develop the ability to think in a time pressured situation. The simulation may thereby provide a safe learning environment for experiencing decisions and consequences of these decisions when performing a dialysis treatment. In some instances, the simulation may be in a mobile application form factor to encourage more ubiquitous use on personal devices, which may provide ease of access for the dialysis training. The simulation may further include time-based simulated scenarios that increase in difficulty and complexity between levels.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A hemodialysis system, comprising:
 a hemodialysis machine having an extracorporeal blood circuit with a blood chamber and a dialyzer, wherein the hemodialysis machine is configured to perform a hemodialysis treatment for a patient; and 
 an optical monitoring system, comprising a sensor device configured to emit light through the blood chamber and measure optical characteristics of extracorporeal blood in the blood chamber, 
 wherein the hemodialysis machine includes or is connected to a user input interface, a display, and one or more processors configured to:
 receive, via the user input interface, a first user input indicating to initialize a simulated dialysis treatment for a simulated dialysis patient; 
 determine a plurality of dialysis event variables associated with a plurality of dialysis events based on the first user input; 
 execute one or more dialysis events of the plurality of dialysis events based on comparing one or more results from a random number generator with one or more dialysis event variables of the plurality of dialysis event variables; 
 in response to executing the one or more dialysis events, receive, via the user input interface, a second user input for treating the simulated dialysis patient during the simulated dialysis treatment, wherein the second user input indicates an adjustment of a first adjustable patient parameter from a plurality of patient parameters, wherein the plurality of patient parameters comprises a plurality of adjustable patient parameters including the first adjustable patient parameter and a plurality of non-adjustable patient parameters; 
 update a set of patient parameters of the plurality of patient parameters for the simulated dialysis patient based on the second user input and executing the one or more dialysis events, wherein updating the set of patient parameters comprises:
 updating the first adjustable patient parameter based on the second user input; 
 determining one or more non-adjustable patient parameters plurality of non-adjustable patient parameters that have one or more relationships to the first adjustable patient parameter, wherein the one or more non-adjustable patient parameters comprises a blood pressure parameter indicating a blood pressure of the simulated dialysis patient; and 
 updating the one or more non-adjustable patient parameters based on updating the first adjustable patient parameter and the one or more relationships to the first adjustable patient parameter; 
 
 display indicia on the display, wherein the indicia is associated with a health of the simulated dialysis patient based on updating the set of patient parameters; and 
 subsequent to completing the simulated dialysis treatment, display a prompt on the display indicating a result of the simulated dialysis treatment based on the health of the simulated dialysis patient. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The hemodialysis system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 receive, from the one or more sensors, a third user input for treating the simulated dialysis patient during the simulated dialysis treatment, wherein the third user input is associated with a second adjustable patient parameter, of the plurality of patient parameters, for the simulated dialysis patient, wherein the second adjustable patient parameter is different from the first adjustable patient parameter; and 
 update a second set of patient parameters of the plurality of patient parameters for the simulated dialysis patient based on the third user input, wherein the second set of patient parameters comprises the second adjustable patient parameter associated with the third user input, the blood pressure parameter, and a third patient parameter that is associated with the second adjustable patient parameter. 
 
     
     
       3. The hemodialysis system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more relationships between the first adjustable patient parameter and the one or more non-adjustable patient parameters is a direct relationship or an indirect relationship. 
     
     
       4. A computing device, comprising:
 a user input interface; 
 a display configured to display information associated with a simulated dialysis treatment; and 
 one or more processors configured to:
 receive, from the user input interface, a first user input indicating to initialize the simulated dialysis treatment for a simulated dialysis patient; 
 determine a plurality of dialysis event variables associated with a plurality of dialysis events based on the first user input; 
 execute one or more dialysis events of the plurality of dialysis events based on comparing one or more results from a random number generator with one or more dialysis event variables of the plurality of dialysis event variables; 
 in response to executing the one or more dialysis events, receive, from the user input interface, a second user input for treating the simulated dialysis patient during the simulated dialysis treatment, wherein the second user input indicates an adjustment of a first adjustable patient parameter from a plurality of patient parameters, wherein the plurality of patient parameters comprises a plurality of adjustable patient parameters including the first adjustable patient parameter and a plurality of non-adjustable patient parameters; 
 update a set of patient parameters of the plurality of patient parameters for the simulated dialysis patient based on the second user input and executing the one or more dialysis events, wherein updating the set of patient parameters comprises:
 updating the first adjustable patient parameter based on the second user input; 
 determining one or more non-adjustable patient parameters plurality of non-adjustable patient parameters that have one or more relationships to the first adjustable patient parameter; and 
 updating the one or more non-adjustable patient parameters based on updating the first adjustable patient parameter and the one or more relationships to the first adjustable patient parameter; 
 
 display indicia on the display, wherein the indicia is associated with a health of the simulated dialysis patient based on updating the set of patient parameters; and 
 subsequent to completing the simulated dialysis treatment, display a prompt on the display indicating a result of the simulated dialysis treatment based on the health of the simulated dialysis patient. 
 
 
     
     
       5. The computing device of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
 receive, from the user input interface, a third user input for treating the simulated dialysis patient during the simulated dialysis treatment, wherein the third user input is associated with a second adjustable patient parameter, of the plurality of patient parameters, for the simulated dialysis patient, wherein the second adjustable patient parameter is different from the first adjustable patient parameter; and 
 update a second set of patient parameters of the plurality of patient parameters for the simulated dialysis patient based on the third user input, wherein the second set of patient parameters comprises the second adjustable patient parameter associated with the third user input, a blood pressure parameter, and a third patient parameter that is associated with the second adjustable patient parameter. 
 
     
     
       6. The computing device of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more relationships between the first adjustable patient parameter and the one or more non-adjustable patient parameters is a direct relationship or an indirect relationship. 
     
     
       7. A method, comprising:
 receiving, from a user input interface of a mobile device, a first user input indicating to initialize a simulated dialysis treatment for one or more dialysis patients, wherein the mobile device comprises the user input interface and a display; 
 determining, by the mobile device, a plurality of dialysis event variables associated with a plurality of dialysis events based on the first user input; 
 executing, by the mobile device, one or more dialysis events of the plurality of dialysis events based on comparing one or more results from a random number generator with one or more dialysis event variables of the plurality of dialysis event variables; 
 in response to executing the one or more dialysis events, receiving, from the user input interface of the mobile device, a second user input for treating a dialysis patient, of the one or more dialysis patients, during the simulated dialysis treatment, wherein the second user input indicates an adjustment of a first adjustable patient parameter from a plurality of patient parameters, wherein the plurality of patient parameters comprises a plurality of adjustable patient parameters including the first adjustable patient parameter and a plurality of non-adjustable patient parameters; 
 updating, by the mobile device, a set of patient parameters of the plurality of patient parameters for the dialysis patient based on the second user input and executing the one or more dialysis events, wherein updating the set of patient parameters comprises:
 updating the first adjustable patient parameter based on the second user input; 
 determining one or more non-adjustable patient parameters from plurality of non-adjustable patient parameters that have one or more relationships to the first adjustable patient parameter; and 
 updating the one or more non-adjustable patient parameters based on updating the first adjustable patient parameter and the one or more relationships to the first adjustable patient parameter; 
 
 displaying, by the display of the mobile device, indicia associated with a health of the dialysis patient based on updating the set of patient parameters; and 
 subsequent to completing the simulated dialysis treatment, displaying, by the display of the mobile device, a prompt indicating a result of the simulated dialysis treatment based on the health of the dialysis patient. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the user input interface of the mobile device, a third user input for treating the dialysis patient during the simulated dialysis treatment, wherein the third user input is associated with a second adjustable patient parameter, of the plurality of patient parameters, for the dialysis patient, wherein the second adjustable patient parameter is different from the first adjustable patient parameter; and 
 updating, by the mobile device, a second set of patient parameters of the plurality of patient parameters for the dialysis patient based on the third user input, wherein the second set of patient parameters comprises the second adjustable patient parameter associated with the third user input, a blood pressure parameter, and a third patient parameter that is associated with the second adjustable patient parameter. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first adjustable patient parameter and a blood pressure parameter have a relationship with the one or more non-adjustable patient parameters. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more relationships between the first adjustable patient parameter and the one or more non-adjustable patient parameters is a direct relationship. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more relationships between the first adjustable patient parameter and the one or more non-adjustable patient parameters is an indirect relationship. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 during the simulated dialysis treatment, displaying, by the display of the mobile device, a graphical user interface comprising a plurality of indicia, wherein the plurality of indicia comprises the indicia associated with the health of the dialysis patient and a user-selectable indicia that adjusts the first adjustable patient parameter, wherein receiving the second user input is based on a user selecting the user-selectable indicia. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first adjustable patient parameter and the user-selectable indicia are associated with an ultrafiltration rate for the dialysis patient or a heparin amount provided to the dialysis patient. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first adjustable patient parameter and the user-selectable indicia are associated with adjusting a position of the dialysis patient or an amount of oxygen given to the dialysis patient. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more dialysis events comprises a clotting event indicating the dialysis patient has a clot. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 updating one or more of the plurality of dialysis event variables based on executing the one or more dialysis events. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of patient parameters comprises a blood pressure parameter and a consciousness parameter of the dialysis patient, wherein the method further comprises:
 determining the health of the dialysis patient based on the blood pressure parameter and the consciousness parameter. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein determining the health of the dialysis patient comprises determining whether the consciousness parameter indicates the dialysis patient is conscious and the blood pressure parameter being within a blood pressure threshold. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first adjustable patient parameter is an oxygen given patient parameter, and wherein the one or more non-adjustable patient parameters comprises a respiration patient parameter and an oxygen saturation patient parameter.